Prepare for Christian ministry.

Bachelor of Arts in Religion

Purpose of the Program

The purpose of the Bachelor of Arts in Religion (BAR) is to prepare students for effective Christian ministry through the integration of academic coursework and applied studies. The program offers a broad biblical, theological, and religion (Christian studies) foundation to prepare for such ministries. The program can be taken online or through a combination of online and resident courses. The program allows for the option of establishing a specialty/minor such as Pastoral Ministry, Chaplaincy Studies, Children’s Ministry, Christian Education, Youth Ministry, Missions and Evangelism, African-American Studies, or Church and Non-profit Administration. The program is for the following:

Christian workers in positions where an undergraduate degree will allow entrance into a Christian vocation or lay ministry which would not otherwise be possible;

Those who need a general education and wish to gain further knowledge in the areas of biblical and religious studies; and

Those who desire to apply for future admission to a graduate program in an area of Christian studies.

The degree calls for students who demonstrate a potential for ministry, a faithful commitment to the Word of God, a heart for Christian service, and the personal discipline necessary to complete degree requirements. The academic prerequisite for this degree program is a high school diploma or equivalent with a minimum GPA of 2.3 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants must have read and signed that they are in agreement with and will uphold the Doctrinal Statement, that they will abide by the Biblical Code of Conduct, Academic Code of Honor, Drug and Alcohol Policy, Payment Policy, and all other academic and financial policies. Additional requirements can be found on the Application for Admission.

Acquire basic liberal arts knowledge through selected general education courses in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences;

Acquire an understanding of the basic contents of the Old and New Testaments;

Acquire a basic understanding of biblical theology and church history;

Acquire an understanding of the relationship between academic studies and practical Christian ministry; and

Acquire an understanding of the Christian worldview, its implications for one’s life, and demonstrate an ability to communicate that worldview especially as it relates to other philosophical worldviews and other religions.

Orientation (5 Hours)

CLO 100 College Life Orientation

5

General Education (55 Hours)

Humanities (20 hours)

ENG 100 Introduction to Academic Writing

5

ENG 102 English Composition

5

COM 101 Speech Communication

5

PHI 100 Introduction to Critical Thinking

5

Social Sciences (20 Hours)

GOV 101 U.S. Government

5

PSY 101 General Psychology

5

SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology

5

HST 101 Introduction to World Civilizations

5

Natural Sciences (15 Hours)

CIS 101 Introduction to Computer Science 1

5

HEA 101 Introduction to Health Science

5

Choose 1 from the following:

5

ESC 101 Introduction to Earth Science 1

CIS 102 Introduction to Computer Science 2

Bible and Ministry (55 Hours)

CS 102 Christian Studies Overview 1

5

CS 102 Christian Studies Overview 2

5

OT 231 Old Testament Overview 1

5

OT 232 Old Testament Overview 2

5

OT 233 Old Testament Overview 3

5

NT 231 New Testament Overview 1

5

NT 232 New Testament Overview 2

5

BT 201 Foundations of Biblical Theology 1

5

BT 202 Foundations of Biblical Theology 2

5

BT 225 Bible Study Methods

5

NT 212 Introduction to the Book of Romans

Religion (45 Hours)

RE 333 Survey of Systematic Theology 1

5

RE 334 Survey of Systematic Theology 2

5

RE 341 Origins of Christianity 1 orRE 345 The Life of Christ

5

RE 348 Survey of Church History

5

RE 353 Introduction to Christian Ethics orRE 354 Spiritual Formation

5

RE 440 Christian Worldviews

5

RE 443 Christian Evidences

5

RE 444 Comparative Religion

5

RE 490 Religion Integration and Analysis (Capstone course)

5

Interdisciplinary/Specialty Electives (20 Hours)

20

Total Hours =

180

Note: Students wishing to use this degree as the foundation for eventual graduate studies or for vocational opportunities or advancement should check beforehand with their graduate school of choice or current or potential employer to determine the applicability of this degree to meet those goals.